148 FISHING IN EDEN 



and wings were free and he remained alive. Only 

 a short length of fairly strong gut was used not 

 more than half a yard. About six inches of line 

 were let out through the end ring of the rod. 



After creeping up behind some big tree trunk or 

 thick bush the rod-point was stealthily pushed 

 forward over the deep water, until a trout 

 was seen to pass underneath. As soon as he 

 passed, up or down, on his chosen short beat, the 

 fly was lowered on to the surface of the water. It 

 looked lively and tempting enough when its legs 

 dangled and quivered there. The trout by this 

 time had turned, and, spying the newly fallen blue 

 bottle, generally made straight for it, coming up 

 to its prey from directly below, never sideways. 



From one's place of concealment every move- 

 ment of the fish could be clearly seen, and as, with 

 wide-open mouth, it appeared to have got the fly, 

 one struck, but generally far too soon. The trout 

 would have a puzzled look in its great eyes as it 

 turned down again, for it had not been touched, 

 and the fly was probably fast into a low branch of 

 an overhanging tree ! 



The art of dapping keeping quite still and out 

 of sight was, however, soon acquired, and, when 

 trout opened their mouths immediately under the 

 fly, the rod-point was gently lowered to allow the 



